California has generated considerable excitement in the industry by offering a DTC permit allowing craft distillers across the country to ship their products directly to consumers in California, one of the country's largest retail markets. Since COVID, California craft distillers have had a temporary direct shipping privilege, which ends 12/31/2025. California’s new Type 94 Direct Shipper Permit will allow spirits direct shipping for both in-state and out-of-state craft distillers. CA ABC will accept applications starting December 15, 2025, and will issue permits effective January 1, 2026. Here's what craft distillers need to know about this new permit; those located outside of California should consider these requirements before jumping on this opportunity: The permit is only available to distillers producing 150,000 gallons or less per year, of which sixty-five percent (65%) must be of their own production. The permit will expire on 12/31/2026 and cannot be renewed unl

The calendar flip from 2024 to 2025 heralded several new packaging regulations, rulemaking updates, and bills with significant implications for consumer packaged goods in North America and Europe. Recent packaging legislation is reshaping packaging requirements for waste reduction, recyclable materials, circularity, and sustainability. However, actions by the Trump Administration may defer regulatory action at the U.S. federal level and shift packaging-related policies. EPR Packaging Laws Five U.S. states—California, Colorado, Oregon, Maine, and Minnesota—have passed extended producer responsibility laws for packaging. While each state's requirements vary, they share common goals of reducing packaging waste, enhancing recycling efforts, and holding producers (e.g., brand owners) accountable for the life cycle of their products. Since the start of the year, nine states have introduced or re-introduced EPR packaging bills. They include Washington, Tennessee, Hawaii

A look at the trends influencing wine packaging design & innovation. Introduction U.S. wine total volume is expected to remain relatively flat for the next several years, while value will grow due to price increases and the persistence of the premiumization trend. In the crowded and increasingly challenging wine market, effective package design can help a brand get noticed and appeal to consumers. This report looks at several key trends impacting wine package design, from authentic storytelling to interactive engagement to environmentally and socially responsible solutions. Authenticity According to a recent GlobalData study, three out of four consumers consider product/brand authenticity essential or nice to have when making purchase decisions. This attitude is especially true among older generations and higher-income earners, a key demographic for wine sellers. Authentic brands are perceived as genuine, original, and transparent, providing quality assurance and trust. Euromon

It’s the same conversation in boardrooms, discussion boards, symposiums, and industry reports: “Younger consumers just aren’t drinking wine like previous generations.” Sure, the concern is valid. But the narrative misses key nuances. The reality is that younger consumers are still just that—young. Their drinking habits, lifestyle priorities, and financial realities don’t yet match those of past generations at the same life stage. But instead of writing off Gen Z or younger Millennials, the wine industry needs to adjust its approach. The traditional playbook doesn’t account for how younger consumers live, what they value, or how they engage with brands. If wineries want to stay relevant, it’s time to rewrite the script. 1. Younger Consumers Will Age Into Wine—Just Like Boomers Did A common misstep in the industry’s current panic is comparing a 23-year-old Gen Zer to a 45-year-old Gen Xer. The latter has had decades to develop

You want to elevate your event marketing campaigns with fresh, exciting materials that captivate and engage your target audience. You need unique branded merch, box kits, and swag bags to standout. But, where to start? Enter Almaden’s 2024 Event Lookbook. It may not solve all your problems, but it will strengthen the engagement at your next event! The State of Event Marketing Before we dive into the top trends that will help you this year, let’s get some context. Did you know that 63% of event marketing professionals predict that attendee numbers will return to pre-pandemic levels in the next one to two years. If you’re running events in 2024 and looking ahead to 2025, you’re in the right place. Perhaps more importantly, 80% of attendees say in-person events are the most trusted way to discover new products and services. Events empower marketers to connect with people one-on-one. Rarely, do marketers have the opportunity to speak directly with pro

Controlling the oxygen level in wine is critical to the winemaking process. Too much oxygen can result in a shorter shelf life, color loss or browning, a shift from fresh and fruity to off-note aromas, a flat taste, and a thin, lackluster mouthfeel. Too little oxygen can lead to stuck fermentations, sulfury off-tastes, tannins that fail to soften, underdeveloped aromas, and a lack of complexity. The winemaker's solution is to eliminate oxygen in different stages of the winemaking process, including sparging, transferring the wine, and bottling. In sparging, nitrogen gas is bubbled through the wine to remove any suspended oxygen in the liquid. In the transfer process, nitrogen pushes the wine from vessel to vessel or into the final packaging. In bottling, nitrogen evacuates oxygen from the bottle's headspace to extend the wine's shelf life. There are many other applications, making nitrogen gas an essential tool in the cellar. Shrinking Nitrogen's Cost "The #1 con

Session 2: New Regulations Impacting the Wine Industry Date & Time: Wednesday, April 10th – 10:00 AM (PT)  Seemingly, each year brings new laws and regulations that impact the wine industry and present a maze of compliance issues. This session will feature four experts addressing four areas where new regulations impact vineyards and wineries. FTC Enforcement and Trade Practice Compliance: As part of the current administration’s initiative to increase competition and assist small and medium-sized businesses in the alcohol beverage market, there’s been a renewed focus on federal trade practices that govern how industry members interact. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission has launched an antitrust investigation focused on one of the nation’s largest alcohol beverage distributors. Given these developments, industry members should brush up on the world of trade practice restrictions in order to avoid any potential pitfalls.  Bottle Bill:

As mentioned in our recent blog post, Compliance With Bottle Bill Just One Month Away for Wine and Spirits, California law changed on January 1, 2024, to include wine and distilled spirits in California’s Beverage Container Recycling Program. California wineries and distilleries will now need to register with CalRecycle, submit monthly reports, pay certain fees, and make sure their labels include an appropriate recyclability message from July 1, 2025. CalRecycle will host a 2-hour webinar on February 23, 2024 aimed at small wineries to explain how the changes will affect them. The webinar will also include a demonstration on how to use the Division of Recycling Integrated Information System (DORIIS) for monthly reporting and payment of fees.  The webinar is limited to 1,000 attendees, so register as soon as possible at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkd-6upj4tEtCVEASeUimnDkRGDsY7glXV.  The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session. For questions about the

CalRecycle anticipates bringing 1 billion bottles into the recycling program with the addition of wine and spirits. Amy Cameron, CalRecycle Written by Jeanette Tan  |  Photo by Shutterstock This new law affects all California wineries and out-of-state wineries shipping directly to customers in California. Just a reminder that I’m not a CPA or a Compliance expert. For the rules and regulations go to  CalRecycle CalRecycle YouTube Channel Webinar Recording Register for CalRecycle webinar on December 13th 11/20/23 Update - Turns out (no surprise) some of the rules have been changing. The Sonoma County Vintners held a webinar in Mid-November and discussed these changes: Sonoma County Vintners YouTube Video 11/20/23 Wines bottled and labeled before January 1, 2024 DO NOT need to comply with the label rules, so get your labels for your 2024 botte runs updated now. The winery needs to pay for the CRV for wines sold to Restaurants and DTC (including restaurants is a

As consumer acceptance has grown, more wineries are using aluminum closures on bottles of still wine. The list of benefits goes beyond consumer preferences to their effectiveness in preventing cork taint and other contamination and their superior ability to preserve wine flavors and other organoleptic qualities. Herti is a leading manufacturer of aluminum and composite closures, producing two billion closures a year. The company has a comprehensive range of aluminum screw caps for wine, spirits, olive oil, water, and non-alcoholic and other beverages. It also offers composite closures that combine an aluminum body with a plastic insert, such as a plastic thread. Wide Variety of Options With over 40 sizes, customers can choose from 17mm to 43mm diameters in 6mm to 12mm heights to use with bottles as small as 50ml and as large as a gallon (4.54 l). They can also request almost any dimension, customize with offset printing on the top and side of the closure, choose a matte, semi-matte, o